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Stephen

NOTICE: Shochu’sday is Moving!

March 2, 2021 by Stephen Leave a Comment

NOTICE: Shochu’sday is Moving!

After 40 consecutive weeks of hosting Shochu Pros Shochu’sday on Instagram, we are moving to Streamyard, which will allow us to stream to Facebook, YouTube, and eventually to our new website, JapanDistilled.com.

As always (except during daylight savings), 8pm EST on Tuesday evening, 10am JST on Wednesday morning in Japan.

We will be harmonizing our various web presences over the next few months. More to come!

KANPAI!

… Read More “NOTICE: Shochu’sday is Moving!”

Filed Under: Events

Tasting Notes: Nankai

November 10, 2020 by Stephen Leave a Comment

Tasting Notes: NankaiAt first whiff, Nankai smells faintly grassy, which is common in kokuto shochu owing to how kokuto sugar is made from fresh cut cane and that fresh grassiness is a sign of well made kokuto sugar. Sugar cane is, after all, a tall perennial grass. It is still pretty wild that they can capture that after fermentation and distillation.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Reviews Tagged With: kokuto shochu, nankai

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu KOME

August 25, 2020 by Stephen Leave a Comment

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu KOMEPutting your nose in a glass of The SG Shochu Kome shows you just how complex a vacuum distilled rice shochu can be. Ginjo sake aromas from the yeast, pineapple, melon, and a faint hint of dairy-like lactic acidity are all present.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Reviews Tagged With: sg shochu, sg shochu kome, Shingo Gokan

From Angel’s Share to Speak Low to The SG Shochu

August 24, 2020 by Stephen Leave a Comment

From Angel’s Share to Speak Low to The SG ShochuThe brilliance of The SG Shochu line is not just their high proof, but that in just 3 products they manage to express the diversity of the shochu category.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Misc. Tagged With: Joshin Atone, Shingo Gokan, The SG Shochu

Mizu Lemongrass Shochu

July 30, 2020 by Stephen Leave a Comment

Mizu Lemongrass ShochuMizu Lemongrass Shochu may not be an authentic honkaku shochu due to the use of lemongrass, but this is a case where a beautiful spirit breaks the rules.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Reviews Tagged With: lemongrass shochu, Mizu Shochu, Saga, shochu, shochu reviews

Disaster Relief for Kyushu Floods

July 11, 2020 by Stephen Leave a Comment

Disaster Relief for Kyushu FloodsThe floods in the Hitoyoshi region are believed to have killed more than 50 people and damaged or destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. This is deeply personal to us a www.kanpai.us since we count several Hitoyoshi shochu makers as our friends. The damage has spread further over the past week as Kyushu floods continue around the region.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Misc. Tagged With: Hitoyoshi, hitoyoshi ryokan, Kuma Shochu, Kumamoto, Kyushu, shochu

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Shochu Reviews

iichiko Kurobin

My personal favorite iichiko brand available in the US is iichiko Kurobin. Kurobin is literally translated as "black bottle," which is a pretty on the nose description of this evocative packaging. It is simply too pretty to throw away after finishing.

Shochu Reviews

iichiko silhouette

This iichiko silhouette is probably the most common Japanese shochu currently available in the United States. In NYC I’ve seen it in random mom & pop liquor stores as the only shochu among a shelf of sake options. It’s most commonly available in 750ml bottles, though I’ve seen other sizes in other countries. This is a great starter shochu, which is why I’ve chosen it for my first tasting note. It was my introduction to shochu back in 2008. I’d had Korean soju before, but Japanese shochu is a strikingly different (and better) experience.

Tasting Notes: Nankai

Nankai Shochu
At first whiff, Nankai smells faintly grassy, which is common in kokuto shochu owing to how kokuto sugar is made from fresh cut cane and that fresh grassiness is a sign of well made kokuto sugar. Sugar cane is, after all, a tall perennial grass. It is still pretty wild that they can capture that after fermentation and distillation.

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu MUGI

The SG Shochu MUGI Label
The SG Shochu MUGI wraps several barley shochu identities into one. It's lightly barrel-aged and carries the associated sweet notes. But there's also a graininess that is revealed when the temperature of the drink drops. It's a versatile barley shochu that can be enjoyed a variety of ways.

Shochu Reviews

Tasting Notes: Lento Shochu

Lento is the top selling kokuto shochu in Japan, and it is available internationally as well. Try it on the rocks or with sparkling water for a refreshing taste of the Amami Islands. Kanpai!

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu IMO

The SG Shochu IMO is a clear invitation to create the classic imo cocktail. If you get it right, it will resonate and cascade around the world until you can't not have sweet potato shochu on your menu if you consider yourself a proper drinking establishment.

Mizu Green Tea Shochu

Mizu Green Tea Shochu
Mizu's Green Tea Shochu is the most recent addition to the Mizu Shochu lineup.

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